Vasti - The Wonder Panchkarma Treatment

Are you thinking of undergoing an ayurvedic panchakarma treatment for its various health benefits? in panchakarma treatment, five procedures are undertaken for eliminating the vitalized doshas from the body. The five procedures are nasyam (medicines injected through nose), vaman (medicated emesis) virechan (medicated purgation) anuvasan vasti (medicated oil enema) niruha vasti (medicated dexoction enema). Among these five types vasti is considered to be the primary panchakarma treatment and it refers to medicated enema (injecting medicines through anus). As the medicine reaches the bowels directly without any enzymatic actions, this therapy is very effective.

Types of vasti
Vasti is carried out along with other ayurvedic treatments in many cases. Vasti has a great healing capability and is considered to be the half treatment for many diseases. The treatment is primarily used for flushing out loosened doshas from the body via the intestinal tract. In ayurveda, there are several types of vasti or medicated enemas. Here is a list of the most common vastis in ayurveda along with their various benefits:

Uro vasti: urobasti is a herbal oil treatment therapy, which is used as a part of panchakarma therapy for the treatment of muscular chest pain, cardiac problems. Problems such as pain in the sternum, intense anxiety, chest pain and many others are cured by this form of vasti. It also helps in restoring normal skin elasticity.

Kati vasti: this is a type of vasti in which heat gets applied to a specific part of the back. It is done by retaining warm and medicated oils. A dam, made of herbal dough, gets built in the area which is affected in the back and oil is poured. The oil is left there, which rejuvenates the back muscles and ligaments by easing the pain, swelling and tension. This therapy helps in getting relief from acute and chronic back pain, lumbar spondylosis, sciatica, osteoporosis and a prolapsed disc. Sciatica pain is relieved and pain in intervertebral disc prolapsed is reduced as well. The nerves get stimulated, easing pain and numbness. This vasti is also prescribed for treating rheumatoid arthritis, lumbosacral strain and disc bulge.

Sneha vasti or oil enema: in sneha vasti, only medicated oils or ghrithams are used unlike in other vastis, where a combination of various ingredients with predominant decoctions are used.

Vasti treatment accounts for being the most effective ayurvedic panchakarma treatment. It helps in alleviating constipation, distention, chronic fever, sexual disorders, kidney stones, common cold, neck pain, cervical pain, migraine, backache, slipdisc, fibromyalgia. There are more than 80 disorders which are related to vata, many of which are treated with vasti therapy. These may include sciatica, rheumatism, arthritis and gout.